www.autofile.co.nz
March 2019
The trusted voice of the auto industry for more than 30 years
Failings with NZTA under microscope Autofile investigates four current reviews as industry suggests how the crisis-stricken agency can be improved moving forward
L
ess red tape, more action, good governance and enforcing legislation are some of the suggestions a lead organisation in the automotive industry has made about the NZTA going forward. Properly assessing entry compliance, enforcing legislation, policing procedures and tackling staff turnover with its resulting loss of institutional knowledge are others. These concerns may read look like an end-of-year school report, but they are just some areas highlighted by VIA (the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association) about the way the government agency operates. Its views, many of which will be echoed across the industry, have been officially recorded by those tasked with overseeing a Ministry of Transport review of the NZTA. The aim is to provide an independent assessment of regulatory requirements. In September 2018, the
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MITO’s future under threat agency’s board raised concerns its regulatory function wasn’t performing as it should, principally relating to a huge backlog of compliance cases it has failed to manage appropriately. These matters cover vehicle certifiers, providers of training courses, licensing agents, roadtransport operators and drivers, with the scale of businesses and people affected by performance issues significant given the nature of the NZTA’s work. Now VIA has provided its feedback with chief executive David Vinsen fronting a 40-minute teleconference, which coincided with a board meeting so its members could also provide input on behalf of the association and automotive industry.
“We were able to make our points about the NZTA in regards to its regulatory capability and performance,” Vinsen told Autofile. A number of issues were raised about its quality assessment programme for the entry-compliance system. He says for some operators in this essential part of the supply chain, this type of quality control doesn’t have the same measure of effect as unannounced random output audits. “We’re concerned entrycompliance procedures aren’t being properly policed and enforced,” says Vinsen. “By writing to key service delivery partners and other service providers in advance – that the NZTA is coming – gives them time
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